diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/common/algorithms/parallel_reduce.h b/thirdparty/embree/common/algorithms/parallel_reduce.h
index b52b1e2e13..fbff38f660 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/common/algorithms/parallel_reduce.h
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/common/algorithms/parallel_reduce.h
@@ -58,15 +58,15 @@ namespace embree
     const Value v = tbb::parallel_reduce(tbb::blocked_range<Index>(first,last,minStepSize),identity,
       [&](const tbb::blocked_range<Index>& r, const Value& start) { return reduction(start,func(range<Index>(r.begin(),r.end()))); },
       reduction,context);
-    if (context.is_group_execution_cancelled())
-      throw std::runtime_error("task cancelled");
+    //if (context.is_group_execution_cancelled())
+    //  throw std::runtime_error("task cancelled");
     return v;
   #else
     const Value v = tbb::parallel_reduce(tbb::blocked_range<Index>(first,last,minStepSize),identity,
       [&](const tbb::blocked_range<Index>& r, const Value& start) { return reduction(start,func(range<Index>(r.begin(),r.end()))); },
       reduction);
-    if (tbb::task::self().is_cancelled())
-      throw std::runtime_error("task cancelled");
+    //if (tbb::task::self().is_cancelled())
+    //  throw std::runtime_error("task cancelled");
     return v;
   #endif
 #else // TASKING_PPL
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/common/lexers/stringstream.cpp b/thirdparty/embree/common/lexers/stringstream.cpp
index 42ffb10176..9779fc74c7 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/common/lexers/stringstream.cpp
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/common/lexers/stringstream.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ namespace embree
     std::vector<char> str; str.reserve(64);
     while (cin->peek() != EOF && !isSeparator(cin->peek())) {
       int c = cin->get();
-      if (!isValidChar(c)) throw std::runtime_error("invalid character "+std::string(1,c)+" in input");
+      if (!isValidChar(c)) abort(); //throw std::runtime_error("invalid character "+std::string(1,c)+" in input");
       str.push_back((char)c);
     }
     str.push_back(0);
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/alloc.cpp b/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/alloc.cpp
index c92bb99ece..2288df76ef 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/alloc.cpp
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/alloc.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ namespace embree
     assert((align & (align-1)) == 0);
     void* ptr = _mm_malloc(size,align);
     if (size != 0 && ptr == nullptr)
-      throw std::bad_alloc();
+      abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
     return ptr;
   }
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace embree
       ptr = sycl::aligned_alloc_shared(align,size,*device,*context);
 
     if (size != 0 && ptr == nullptr)
-      throw std::bad_alloc();
+      abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
 
     return ptr;
   }
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ namespace embree
     }
 
     if (size != 0 && ptr == nullptr)
-      throw std::bad_alloc();
+      abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
 
     return ptr;
   }
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ namespace embree
     /* fall back to 4k pages */
     int flags = MEM_COMMIT | MEM_RESERVE;
     char* ptr = (char*) VirtualAlloc(nullptr,bytes,flags,PAGE_READWRITE);
-    if (ptr == nullptr) throw std::bad_alloc();
+    if (ptr == nullptr) abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
     hugepages = false;
     return ptr;
   }
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ namespace embree
       return bytesOld;
 
     if (!VirtualFree((char*)ptr+bytesNew,bytesOld-bytesNew,MEM_DECOMMIT))
-      throw std::bad_alloc();
+      abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
 
     return bytesNew;
   }
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ namespace embree
       return;
 
     if (!VirtualFree(ptr,0,MEM_RELEASE))
-      throw std::bad_alloc();
+      abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
   }
 
   void os_advise(void *ptr, size_t bytes)
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ namespace embree
 
     /* fallback to 4k pages */
     void* ptr = (char*) mmap(0, bytes, PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE | MAP_ANON, -1, 0);
-    if (ptr == MAP_FAILED) throw std::bad_alloc();
+    if (ptr == MAP_FAILED) abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
     hugepages = false;
 
     /* advise huge page hint for THP */
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ namespace embree
       return bytesOld;
 
     if (munmap((char*)ptr+bytesNew,bytesOld-bytesNew) == -1)
-      throw std::bad_alloc();
+      abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
 
     return bytesNew;
   }
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ namespace embree
     const size_t pageSize = hugepages ? PAGE_SIZE_2M : PAGE_SIZE_4K;
     bytes = (bytes+pageSize-1) & ~(pageSize-1);
     if (munmap(ptr,bytes) == -1)
-      throw std::bad_alloc();
+      abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
   }
 
   /* hint for transparent huge pages (THP) */
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/alloc.h b/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/alloc.h
index 5c63d0bfaf..1f6f230ed3 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/alloc.h
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/alloc.h
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ namespace embree
       typedef std::ptrdiff_t difference_type;
 
       __forceinline pointer allocate( size_type n ) {
-        throw std::runtime_error("no allocation supported");
+        abort(); //throw std::runtime_error("no allocation supported");
       }
 
       __forceinline void deallocate( pointer p, size_type n ) {
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/platform.h b/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/platform.h
index 6dc0cf3318..1e5b02550e 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/platform.h
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/common/sys/platform.h
@@ -214,10 +214,11 @@
 
 #if defined(DEBUG) // only report file and line in debug mode
   #define THROW_RUNTIME_ERROR(str) \
-    throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FILE__) + " (" + toString(__LINE__) + "): " + std::string(str));
+    printf("%s (%d): %s", __FILE__, __LINE__, std::string(str).c_str()), abort();
+    //throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FILE__) + " (" + toString(__LINE__) + "): " + std::string(str));
 #else
   #define THROW_RUNTIME_ERROR(str) \
-    throw std::runtime_error(str);
+    abort(); //throw std::runtime_error(str);
 #endif
 
 #define FATAL(x)   THROW_RUNTIME_ERROR(x)
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/common/tasking/taskschedulerinternal.cpp b/thirdparty/embree/common/tasking/taskschedulerinternal.cpp
index 83ead95122..e89ae04f8b 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/common/tasking/taskschedulerinternal.cpp
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/common/tasking/taskschedulerinternal.cpp
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ namespace embree
     {
       Task* prevTask = thread.task;
       thread.task = this;
-      try {
-        if (context->cancellingException == nullptr)
+      //try {
+      //  if (context->cancellingException == nullptr)
           closure->execute();
-      } catch (...) {
-        if (context->cancellingException == nullptr)
-          context->cancellingException = std::current_exception();
-      }
+      //} catch (...) {
+      //  if (context->cancellingException == nullptr)
+      //    context->cancellingException = std::current_exception();
+      //}
       thread.task = prevTask;
       add_dependencies(-1);
     }
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/common/tasking/taskschedulerinternal.h b/thirdparty/embree/common/tasking/taskschedulerinternal.h
index b01bebf7c3..d4e0c7386b 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/common/tasking/taskschedulerinternal.h
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/common/tasking/taskschedulerinternal.h
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ namespace embree
       {
         size_t ofs = bytes + ((align - stackPtr) & (align-1));
         if (stackPtr + ofs > CLOSURE_STACK_SIZE)
-          throw std::runtime_error("closure stack overflow");
+          abort(); //throw std::runtime_error("closure stack overflow");
         stackPtr += ofs;
         return &stack[stackPtr-bytes];
       }
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ namespace embree
       __forceinline void push_right(Thread& thread, const size_t size, const Closure& closure, TaskGroupContext* context)
       {
         if (right >= TASK_STACK_SIZE)
-          throw std::runtime_error("task stack overflow");
+          abort(); //throw std::runtime_error("task stack overflow");
 
 	/* allocate new task on right side of stack */
         size_t oldStackPtr = stackPtr;
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/bvh/bvh_statistics.cpp b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/bvh/bvh_statistics.cpp
index 40f9043736..f3b93e5925 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/bvh/bvh_statistics.cpp
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/bvh/bvh_statistics.cpp
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ namespace embree
       }
     }
     else {
-      throw std::runtime_error("not supported node type in bvh_statistics");
+      abort(); //throw std::runtime_error("not supported node type in bvh_statistics");
     }
     return s;
   } 
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/alloc.h b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/alloc.h
index 2bd292de4d..10f629a244 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/alloc.h
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/alloc.h
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ namespace embree
       , primrefarray(device,0)
     {
       if (osAllocation && useUSM)
-        throw std::runtime_error("USM allocation cannot be combined with OS allocation.");
+        abort(); //throw std::runtime_error("USM allocation cannot be combined with OS allocation.");
 
       for (size_t i=0; i<MAX_THREAD_USED_BLOCK_SLOTS; i++)
       {
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ namespace embree
         if (myUsedBlocks) {
           void* ptr = myUsedBlocks->malloc(device,bytes,align,partial);
           if (ptr == nullptr && !blockAllocation)
-            throw std::bad_alloc();
+            abort(); //throw std::bad_alloc();
           if (ptr) return ptr;
         }
 
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/rtcore.cpp b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/rtcore.cpp
index 8da5c9d86c..a34eb2a0c4 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/rtcore.cpp
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/rtcore.cpp
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ RTC_NAMESPACE_BEGIN;
     if (quality != RTC_BUILD_QUALITY_LOW &&
         quality != RTC_BUILD_QUALITY_MEDIUM &&
         quality != RTC_BUILD_QUALITY_HIGH)
-      throw std::runtime_error("invalid build quality");
+      abort(); //throw std::runtime_error("invalid build quality");
     scene->setBuildQuality(quality);
     RTC_CATCH_END2(scene);
   }
@@ -1831,7 +1831,7 @@ RTC_API void rtcSetGeometryTransform(RTCGeometry hgeometry, unsigned int timeSte
         quality != RTC_BUILD_QUALITY_MEDIUM &&
         quality != RTC_BUILD_QUALITY_HIGH &&
         quality != RTC_BUILD_QUALITY_REFIT)
-      throw std::runtime_error("invalid build quality");
+      abort(); //throw std::runtime_error("invalid build quality");
     geometry->setBuildQuality(quality);
     RTC_CATCH_END2(geometry);
   }
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/rtcore.h b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/rtcore.h
index 73a061de11..cd7a6f4395 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/rtcore.h
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/rtcore.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace embree
   __forceinline bool isIncoherent(RTCRayQueryFlags flags) { return (flags & RTC_RAY_QUERY_FLAG_COHERENT) == RTC_RAY_QUERY_FLAG_INCOHERENT; }
 
 /*! Macros used in the rtcore API implementation */
-#if 0
+#if 1
 #  define RTC_CATCH_BEGIN
 #  define RTC_CATCH_END(device)
 #  define RTC_CATCH_END2(scene)
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ namespace embree
 #define RTC_TRACE(x) 
 #endif
 
+#if 0
   /*! used to throw embree API errors */
   struct rtcore_error : public std::exception
   {
@@ -109,13 +110,16 @@ namespace embree
     RTCError error;
     std::string str;
   };
+#endif
 
 #if defined(DEBUG) // only report file and line in debug mode
   #define throw_RTCError(error,str) \
-    throw rtcore_error(error,std::string(__FILE__) + " (" + toString(__LINE__) + "): " + std::string(str));
+    printf("%s (%d): %s", __FILE__, __LINE__, std::string(str).c_str()), abort();
+    //throw rtcore_error(error,std::string(__FILE__) + " (" + toString(__LINE__) + "): " + std::string(str));
 #else
   #define throw_RTCError(error,str) \
-    throw rtcore_error(error,str);
+    abort();
+    //throw rtcore_error(error,str);
 #endif
 
 #define RTC_BUILD_ARGUMENTS_HAS(settings,member) \
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/scene.cpp b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/scene.cpp
index 84a84f8c69..3bfcebd298 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/scene.cpp
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/scene.cpp
@@ -962,16 +962,16 @@ namespace embree
     }
 
     /* initiate build */
-    try {
+    //try {
       TaskScheduler::TaskGroupContext context;
       scheduler->spawn_root([&]() { commit_task(); Lock<MutexSys> lock(taskGroup->schedulerMutex); taskGroup->scheduler = nullptr; }, &context, 1, !join);
-    }
-    catch (...) {
-      accels_clear();
-      Lock<MutexSys> lock(taskGroup->schedulerMutex);
-      taskGroup->scheduler = nullptr;
-      throw;
-    }
+    //}
+    //catch (...) {
+    //  accels_clear();
+    //  Lock<MutexSys> lock(taskGroup->schedulerMutex);
+    //  taskGroup->scheduler = nullptr;
+    //  throw;
+    //}
   }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/state.cpp b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/state.cpp
index cce5eafce1..509dbc7120 100644
--- a/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/state.cpp
+++ b/thirdparty/embree/kernels/common/state.cpp
@@ -199,13 +199,13 @@ namespace embree
   bool State::parseFile(const FileName& fileName)
   { 
     Ref<Stream<int> > file;
-    try {
+    //try {
       file = new FileStream(fileName);
-    }
-    catch (std::runtime_error& e) {
-      (void) e;
-      return false;
-    }
+    //}
+    //catch (std::runtime_error& e) {
+    //  (void) e;
+    //  return false;
+    //}
     
     std::vector<std::string> syms;
     for (size_t i=0; i<sizeof(symbols)/sizeof(void*); i++)